ROCKFORD — A coalition formed to help the Forest City live up to its namesake wants to launch new initiatives this fall despite the departure of its leader.

About nine months ago the environmentally-minded group launched its Community Trees Program aimed at bringing residents and civic leaders together to combat the spread of the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that threatens thousands of trees in Winnebago County.

The program kicked off with an awareness campaign in October and in late April celebrated Arbor Day with an event that brought together 42 professional and community volunteers and 21 organizations to help 26 Rockford schools plant trees.

Now the programs board has regrouped after the exit of its lone employee Edith Makra, the “community trees advocate” who spearheaded some of the program’s cooperative initiatives. The board is preparing to push forward with several tree plantings this fall and wants to identify the area’s “greatest trees” to help boost community pride.

Makra helped “create a nice template for what we can accomplish,” said John Richards, owner of Tree Care and part of the advisory board. “We think we have a really good thing started here, and we plan to keep it going.”

Makra could not continue with the program because she had to stay close to Chicago for family commitments, Richards said.

“She put a huge effort into this and we’re indebted to her for that,” Richards said. “She really put the program on the map.”

Richards said Makra will continue to volunteer some time to consult the program’s advisory board. Running the program is now in the hands of that board, a team that includes representatives from Klehm Arboretum, Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, Rockford Park District, city of Rockford, Winnebago County and others.

Fundraising support from the community will determine whether another employee is hired to carry on Makra’s leadership role.

The program’s main financial commitment is from Winnebago County, the Forest Preserve district, Park District and city of Rockford, which each contributed $10,000 a year for three years. It’s also reached out to private partners for financial support.

The groups’ focus now is fundraising and identifying four neighborhoods to partner with for a tree-planting campaign this fall, said Jane Snively, executive director of Klehm Arboretum.

“The advisory board is comfortable with carrying the ball until we can find our next director,” Snively said. “We’re going to keep going strong because the (emerald ash) problem is only going to get worse.”

The program’s leaders plan to partner with Neighborhood Network to identify areas where tree planting will be appropriate.

“It’s a part of making neighborhoods healthier,” said Cyndie Hall, executive director of Neighborhood Network.

“Community pride is something that our city struggles with and the tree planting is an obvious rallying point for neighborhood pride.”

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The group also wants to create a catalog of the area’s most beautiful, interesting or historical trees. It was a concept Makra talked about when she was working for the program.

The group would look to the public to identify the “great trees of Rockford.” It could utilize local artists to capture the trees’ beauty and tell their story, Richards said.